An exploratory investigation of the use and effects of academic instant messaging groups among university students.

The use of instant messaging groups for various academic purposes is a rising, but largely understudied, trend in higher education institutions. In the present study we investigate the use purposes and outcomes of three types of academic instant messaging groups or AIMGs. Formal AIMGs are created and managed by teaching staff, class AIMGs are created by students and joined by all members of a particular class, and study AIMGs are smaller groups created by students that know each other personally or collaborate in group assignments. To advance understanding of the role of these groups in students' wellbeing and academic development, we pose research questions concerning their associations with academic performance, academic stress, and students' course experiences. We adopt an exploratory frame and survey methodology to collect data from a large sample of undergraduate students (n = 1752). Our findings indicate that, at the institution where data were collected, high rates of AIMG participation is the norm, with class AIMGs emerging as particularly popular. We find statistically significant interaction between formal and study AIMGs and academic performance, as well as between study AIMGs and academic stress. Participation in these groups also predicts students' social experience of a learning community, as well as their perception of the teaching they receive. Throughout, however, the observed effects are small and their practical significance is questioned.

Off-task media use in academic settings: cycles of self-regulation failure.

Objective: The effects of off-task media use in academic settings on academic performance have been widely reported. In response, a range of interventions have been proposed. Among these have been calls for the cultivation of more effective self-regulation of media use. Against this backdrop, the present study investigates students' self-regulation of off-task media in academic settings. Method: A series of focus groups was conducted involving 30 undergraduate students at a large, South African university. A combination of inductive and deductive analysis was conducted on the basis of prominent theories of self-regulation. Results: The presences of off-task media in academic settings create ongoing experiences of goal-conflict and many students become trapped in cycles of repeated self-regulation failure, ultimately culminating in procrastination. Conclusions: We refer to this phenomenon as the media procrastination cycle and argue that it contributes to negative affect, stress, and anxiety among students.

Ropivacaine and fentanyl concentrations in patient-controlled epidural analgesia during labor: a volume-range study.

UNLABELLED: We enrolled nulliparous women in induced labor in a randomized study to determine whether increasing the concentration of the solution used in a patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) device was required as labor progressed. Patients were assigned to 6 groups (n = 25 in each group), receiving ropivacaine/fentanyl in concentrations of either 0.1%/0.5 microg/mL or 0.2%/1 microg/mL via a PCEA pump. Three groups received boluses of 12, 16, or 20 mL dilute solution in early labor (uterine contractions every 3 min and 4-cm cervical dilation) then 6, 8, and 10 mL concentrated solution in late labor. Three other groups received boluses of 12, 16, or 20 mL dilute solution during both periods. The lockout interval was 25 min. The primary outcome was time until the first request for staff-administered analgesia supplement. Hourly assessments included pain scores on a visual analog scale (VAS) graded from 0 to 10, satisfaction scores, arterial blood pressure, motor block intensity, and the upper sensory level of epidural anesthesia. Patients, midwives, and the observer were unaware of study solutions and PCEA settings. The maximum pain score was defined as the highest score experienced by each patient during each period. Duration of analgesia was defined as the time from the start of each period to the first injection of rescue analgesia and was compared using a survival analysis. There were no differences among the groups with regard to demographic and obstetric variables, arterial blood pressure, motor block intensity, upper sensory level, or satisfaction scores. At least 75% of the women rated their satisfaction as either good or excellent during each period. During late labor, the maximum pain score was lower in the group receiving 20 mL dilute solution compared with the group receiving 6 mL concentrated solution. Maximum pain score was not significantly different between 20 mL dilute solution and 10 mL concentrated solution (difference between VAS values = -0.4; 95% confidence limits, -1.599 and 0.799; P = 0.5055). During late labor, the duration of analgesia was longer in groups receiving 20 mL dilute solution (99 +/- 4 min) (mean +/- SD) than in those receiving 12 mL (77 +/- 30 min) and 16 mL (80 +/- 23 min). Duration of analgesia did not differ between groups receiving 20 mL and 10 mL (92 +/- 23 min) or between groups receiving 12 mL and 6 mL (78 +/- 30 min) of each respective solution. Duration of analgesia was longer in the groups receiving 8 mL concentrated solution (94 +/- 16 min) than in those receiving 16 mL dilute solution. We concluded that 0.1%/0.5 microg/mL ropivacaine/fentanyl was effective throughout labor when 20 mL was injected with each PCEA demand. With 16 mg ropivacaine and 8 microg fentanyl, the duration of analgesia was prolonged by doubling the concentration when labor became active. When 12 mg ropivacaine and 6 microg fentanyl were injected at each demand, analgesia was less satisfactory and doubling the concentration was not clinically effective. These results suggest that the effectiveness of PCEA is dependent on drug mass rather than the volume or concentration administered with each successful pump demand. IMPLICATIONS: There is no clinical reason for increasing the concentration of the patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) solution when labor becomes active provided that an effective dose is already being administered with each demand. The quality of PCEA depends on the drug mass given with each demand rather than the concentration of the pump solution.